Maiden Voyage to a Live Poker Event.

The first time you ever play poker at a live event a card room or casino can be a pretty intimidating place and the last thing you want to do is give off the scent of being a newbie as the poker sharks are bound to circle sensing an easy meal. Here are a few hints and tips to make your first experience all the more enjoyable.

 

The Brush:
The “brush” is the nickname given to the employee responsible for managing the seating list of the poker tables within a card room or casino. You can usually find them towards the front of the poker room next to the board of available games. The brush is the person to ask should you have any lingering questions that you need answered before being seated at a table. Unless your father is Donald Trump ask for a seat at one of the lower limit tables which is usually $1/$2 blinds so that you can gain your confidence and become comfortable with the flow of the game before you decide to make your bid for the poker millions. Learn to walk before you can run!

Starting Out:
You are going to need to buy your chips before you can take your seat at the table and this is done at the cage where you will find a cashier happy to help you out. The maximum buy-in for a no-limit cash game is usually 100 big blinds as a guide for when you make your purchase. A tip is always remember to lay your money down at the cage as the cashier will not take the money from you as all transactions need to be logged by the security cameras.

Finally you are ready to take your seat at the poker table, remember to organize your chips don’t leave them in the rack it’s not allowed and you will be advertising you’re a card room virgin. Now you are ready to play so decide if you want to post and join the game straight away or wait for the blinds to come round so you can watch a little action before you enter the battle. 

 

Betting Etiquette:
Chances are this is the first time that you will have handled real chips and made an actual bet instead of using your mouse and relying on the computer to do it for you. There is no need to rush and be cautious as how you handle your chips and bets will give your competitors the biggest indication that you are not quite the live poker veteran. Most card rooms and casinos will have their own rules regarding what constitutes a bet but if you follow these 3 rules you shouldn’t have a problem no matter where you play poker.

1)    Placing chips past the betting line.
The betting line is clearly marked circling the interior of the poker table where the pot and community cards are placed. Any chips that are placed past the betting line and released are acknowledged as a bet.

2)    Placing chips past your cards.
This rule is often in place when the poker table does not have a clear betting line. Any chips that are moved forward of your cards are once again identified as a bet, however if you are unsure then don’t be afraid to ask the dealer as rules can vary.

3)    Verbal declaration.
In poker all verbal declarations are binding so to avoid confusion and making mistakes announce your bets before moving your chips into play. Calls are straight forward, however to raise make sure you are clear as to the size of your total bet.

Betting Rules:
Each card room or casino will have its own set of rules clearly stated covering etiquette and betting procedures, it is best to familiarize yourself with the rules prior to playing so once again you don’t advertise that you are a new player. As a rule though all raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise. To give an example if the previous player makes a bet of $30, then the minimum raise would be $30 making your total bet $60.

Finally protect your cards and chips at all times so there can be no confusion or disagreements and if you are planning a long stint at the tables then it is useful to find out if mobile phones and other electronic items such as MP3 players are allowed before you start upsetting the other players.
So have fun as live poker is truly a completely different type of game from the world of online poker and most of all, good luck! Even better tell us how you got on and if you have any other tips to contribute.

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Posted in: Card Rooms,Cards,Casino,Free Poker,Hobbies,Interests,Money,Poker Etiquette,Poker Rules,Sport,Texas Holdem

Poker, Knowing your Opponents and How to Beat Them!

Most players fall into one of four categories or styles of play and then try their best to disguise this to the best of their abilities. Once you know what to look for you will very quickly be able to place your opponents into one of these groups and begin to work out a strategy how best to beat them.

The 4 categories are:

1)    Tight-Passive
A tight-passive player is one that typically won’t raise or call unless they are confident they have a particularly strong hand. They are seen as weak players who can be pushed off most hands since they are risk averse. If you suddenly notice them bravely placing a bet or moving “all in” then chances are they have a great opening hand or have flopped a monster. In most cases you would be wise to stand aside and let them claim the occasional pot unless you are sure you have them clearly beat. This style of player is normally one of the easiest to spot and read so you can adapt your play and beat

2)    Loose-Passive
Loose-passive players are known as “calling stations” as they will call most hands and will very seldom fold once they have seen the flop if they have any sort of cards. Most amateurs known as “fish” will fall into this category as they have yet to learn the art of patience and are just happy to be in the game. They will often call and check with medium pairs and high cards in the hope of a lucky turn or river card, and annoyingly sometimes they do get lucky. In most instances it will prove difficult to bluff these players off a hand with a raise as they will just call the bet hoping for divine intervention.

Be prepared to raise with a decent hand but be careful of the bet size as too large will only scare off  your opponent. The use of continuation bets will enable you to build the pot throughout the hand as you look to take as many chips as you can.

3)    Tight-Aggressive
Tight-aggressive players tend to play very few hands, only the best will do. Beware should they have one they will bet aggressively and try and take a large proportion of your chip stack. This type of player will seldom bluff and chooses their hands carefully before playing. Instead of limping in they will play the percentages, betting and raising to stop competitors from seeing free cards and making a hand. If they make a good hand they will use large and aggressive bets on the turn and river to build up significant pots. This style of play is relatively easy to spot, so to avoid getting typed by your competitors you will need to mix up your play and throw in some bluffs as well as a few different opening hands.

4)    Loose-Aggressive
Many of the most famous poker players are classified as loose aggressive, always prepared to move “all in” the true high-rollers of the Texas Holdem poker world. Known as the  maniacs of the poker table these players will call and raise with little more than a 7,2 but they could just as well have a hand to really hurt you separating you from a large amount of your chips. This is what makes them the hardest style of player to read so you may well be biting your nails if you decide to go head to head. This style of play can be very effective but not without its weaknesses. I urge caution, look for tells and watch for a players betting patterns with other players before you decide to cast your hook and reel them in.  

The great players of this world are able to move between the four different categories or disguise themselves in such a way making others players believe they are playing one way when in fact they are playing another. Thus setting the trap.

Identifying Playing Styles and Building Leverage.

Learning to read and play against the different types of player takes time but is most commonly determined by observing your opponents and their actions. The two critical observations that you need to make are:

1)    How many hands a player typically plays

2)    The players betting patterns

A person who plays relatively few hands is said to be tight and risk averse this means they only tend to play premium hands in an attempt to win the pot. Loose players on the other hand will forever pay to see the flop in the hope of making a hand on the turn or river. Clearly the frequency of hands played between the two styles of play is very different allowing you to identify the different players.

Secondly players betting patterns are either known as passive, a person who often checks and calls when compared to those players who tend to bet and raise, the aggressive players of the poker world. Between the two observations you can make some fairly strong assumptions about your competitors and estimate the types of hand that they are likely to play. This should allow you to make more informed decisions about the hands before you decide to play and hopefully increase your chances of winning.

There is no winning formula to poker, just right and wrong decisions. The more information you have hopefully enables you to make a few less wrong decisions and a few more right ones.

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Online Gambling,Online Poker,Poker Lessons,Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem Dictionary of Terms: D

Donk- Used to describe a bad player, or a particularly foolish move played by someone who should know better.

Drawing- To call a bet with a hand that is unlikely to be winning but has the potential to improve with favourable cards on the turn or river.

Drawing Dead- When no remaining cards are available to put you hand in a winning position. You are comprehensively beaten.

Drawing Thin- A term used when a player has very few outs left with which to win a hand.

Deep- Poker terminology referring to the size of a person’s stack. Deep stack meaning a plentiful amount of chips with which to play the game.

Dolly Parton- Poker slang for the hand 9 5 of any suit in reference to the 1980’s movie 9 to 5.

Dominated- Dominated is the term used when one hand is a significant underdog to another in heads up poker.

Double Barrel- Double barrel refers to the act of following up a continuation bet with another bet in the subsequent round to make a bluff seem more believable.

Ducks- A pair of twos.

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Online Poker,Poker Dictionary,Poker Glossary,Poker Lessons,Poker Terms,Texas Holdem

Poker tools, is it Cheating or just about Gaining an Advantage?

With the invention of the computer no one could forecast the role it would come to play in our lives to the point where now some would say that we cannot live without them! Simple tasks once carried out by the nimble minds and fingers of a human being are now performed by computers with ever increasing speed and computers now assist us in virtually every part of our daily lives.

 

Poker has not escaped the computer revolution, the most obvious being the creation of the online poker game now played by thousands of people each day. People can now sit in the comfort of their own home and join people from all over the world around a virtual poker table playing the game they love. Dollars, Pounds and Euros are digitized as players join sites like Pokerstars and Partypoker now offering amazing game play as advancements in software make poker easily accessible to the world’s population.

I ask the question, is advancement always a good thing?

Poker is a game played between friends, colleagues or just random people sat around a poker table. Well at least it used to be! Recent advancements in technology have seen the emergence of ‘poker tools’, a group of computer applications that provide the user with vast amounts of data and information about his own play and that of his fellow competitors around the poker table. The software is designed to give the user unlimited amounts of data to enable them to make more informed decisions before playing a hand. Perhaps best described as computer-aided poker.

While great poker players are able to calculate considerable amounts of statistics throughout a game judging preflop and pot odds while looking for reads and tells in the faces of their opponents, no matter how good they are these computer applications take data collection to  a new level! Software like ‘Holdem Indicator’ and ‘Poker Edge’ provide the user with information above and beyond the basic odds of a pot or their chances of winning.

One function amongst many is its ability to make observations about a competitor’s style of play, be it tight loose or just plain suicidal. Not stopping there some can now even assess a table before you join, providing information on the style of play and if there are any poker virgins that are more likely to be separated from their chip stacks. What’s more these computer packages allow all these statistics to be applied to multiple tables something the brain would struggle to do effectively. Surely this is not playing the game, just using a computer to make money?

I wonder if I were to take my seat at the World Series of Poker, pull out my computer and poker software just how long it would take until players and event organizers raised an eyebrow before kicking me out of the tournament for cheating? If it is not allowed in live play why should it be any different with online poker?  These packages are not about teaching or improving a player’s game, they are quite obviously designed to increase a person’s chances of winning.

Is that fair, gaining an advantage or is it just plain cheating?

Doesn’t the introduction of a computer into the game remove the human element from it? Poker is a game fundamentally based upon the decisions of players whether to call, fold or raise a hand in order to win a pot, one of the principles being that the best cards need not always win a hand or tournament. Anyone who has watched live poker will have seen some truly auspicious moves as a player holding nothing more than a high card forces a player with a far better hand to fold, bluffing their way to success. Surely that is soon to be a thing of the past if everybody is being told what to do by computers and their statistics. Could the game become less about ability and more about who has the better software? It is hard to say if this is cheating or just not playing the game of poker with a spirit of gamesmanship.

The problem is as poker continues to grow in popularity so do the prize funds and the hopes of some at winning big and retiring to a tropical island on the tournament winnings. While many accept that this will probably never happen. In others this breeds temptation, the temptation to gain an advantage, an edge that probably won’t but just might give them the chance of fame and winning millions in prize money. Poker tools have that potential to give players an advantage but does that stop poker being a game and make it a mathematical formula offering you a return on your initial investment. To me it just feels like someone trying to smuggle a cheat sheet in to a school examination hoping the teachers don’t catch them.

Many of these computer packages claim to have approval from the different cards rooms so if technology is so advanced then perhaps it is the responsibility of the card rooms to either limit their use to certain games or make  other players aware that they are playing against a cyborg terminator, part human part computer poker killing machine!

 

This is my view, I wonder what others think and invite your views. Is it just advancement or the equivalent of steroids to a 100M runner, an unfair advantage?         

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Computer Software,Online Poker,PartyPoker,Poker,Poker Tools,Pokerstars,Technology,Texas Holdem

Poker Lessons from the Professor, Howard Lederer, Part TWO.

Now that you have been practicing all that you have learnt in PART ONE it is time to watch the final 6 videos of the series to complete your lessons by ‘the poker professor,’ Howard Lederer.  Watch these informative videos to see how the professionals think and the moves they make to win a hand! As you will see it is not always about the cards that you are dealt and the best hand does not always win the pot, so learn from a real poker pro and improve your game.

Video SIX:

Hand selection, opponents tells and pot control.

Video SEVEN:

Poker tells and value betting.

Video EIGHT:

Examples of some great poker plays and how you can apply the skills you have learnt.

Video NINE:

Small pot play and when to go all in!

Video TEN:

Example of some poker plays to add to your armoury when playing the game.

Video ELEVEN:

The mental approach to poker and building your style of play.

 

Spend the time to watch and learn from 'the Poker Professor', improve your game and hopefully your chip stack. Let everyone know how your game is going, tell the world if you have won or lost. Here is your chance to join a poker community.

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Free Poker,Howard Lederer,Online Gambling,Online Poker,Poker Lessons,Texas Holdem

Featured Player: Phil Hellmuth the Poker Brat.

 

A member of the Poker Hall of Fame Phil Hellmuth holds the record for claiming 11 World Series of Poker bracelets as well as most cashes and appearances at World Series of Poker final tables. He is an enigma in the world of poker and has the attitude to go with it. Given the nickname ‘The Poker Brat’ Phil is renowned for verbal outburst during games with his competitors often receiving acerbic comments if a play does not gain approval from the self-proclaimed king of poker. This extremely confident player is an imposing force at the poker table standing at over six and a half foot tall his demeanor is equally imposing and this makes him one of the most difficult players to face on a tournament. He was once quoted as saying ‘if it wasn’t for luck, I would win every game!’

From Madison, Wisconsin Phil Hellmuth quickly took to the game of poker playing a tight game enabling him to defeat the local competition. He went on to study at the University of Wisconsin, but realizing that he could make more money playing poker than through any conventional 9 to 5 job he quit to become a professional poker player, much to the dismay of his father. His father’s concerns were quickly answered with numerous titles in the many different varieties of poker. Phil has gone on to amass live tournament earnings in excess of $14,000,000 and when combined with royalties from his books on poker, this players bankroll is assured for some time to come.

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Posted in: 888 Poker,Cards,Casino,Online Poker,Phil Hellmuth,Texas Holdem

Learning to Play Poker with Daniel Negreanu.

It is well known that poker strategy books are not the easiest of bedtime reading, with many being heavy going and difficult to absorb and understand. Here are three video clips featuring Daniel Negreanu one of the most recognized players on the world poker circuit today. With 4 World Series of Poker titles to his name it would be difficult to find a better teacher so sit back and learn from one of the best!

So you have watched a little late night poker and played a few games online or between friends. Only now can you start to appreciate the complexities of a game that looks so simple to play yet it is so difficult to master!

In these clips learn or better understand about pot odds and implied odds. Find tips on ‘small ball’ poker, betting size and frequencies, as well as tips on blind stealing and hand position. With no reading you have invaluable information on how to become a better poker player and improve your chances of making the right moves at the right time.

Video ONE:

Introduction to ‘small ball’ poker, blind stealing and hand position.

Video TWO:

Introduction to pot odds, implied odds with bet size and frequency.

Video THREE:

Practice makes perfect, see that what you have learnt works.

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Posted in: Casino,Daniel Negreanu,Free Poker,Online Poker,Poker Hints,Poker Strategies,Texas Holdem

SIRE REVIEW: Carbon Poker.

History:
Carbon Poker was formed in 2005 by the Merge Network which owns a number of different poker rooms to be found on the web. It is one of the few that still remains in the US market since the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006 and is seen as one of the rooms that will expand and grow above industry standard becoming a more recognized brand in the world of poker. Based in Canada and regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Carbon Poker as part of the Merge Network shares players with its affiliates. Cooperatively this makes it one of the largest poker rooms to be found on the web providing good site traffic and competition for players.

Site & Game Play:
Modern software provides an easy gaming experience for players new to the site. If you find yourself from the US of A then this is the site for you as it is one of the few that is still accepting US players and the good old American dollar. It does not provide all the variations on the game of poker but lets be honest most people are here for Texas Holdem anyway! There is good site traffic especially when America comes online, with lots of fresh players and loose play to keep most poker players interested. Bonuses are in line with the rest of the industry so slap your dollars down count up your chips and start playing poker

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Posted in: Carbon Poker,Card Rooms,Cards,Casino,Online Poker,Texas Holdem

Featured Player: Chris Ferguson, the Holiest of Players!

 

With the nickname of ‘Jesus’ this holiest of poker players has listened to many a confession from a poker player as he relieves them of their chips. Born in Las Vegas Chris enjoyed life as a student and would probably still be one had he not been lured away by the green felt of a poker table. Starting from an early age Chris quickly picked up the rules of this beloved game and from 1994 began his professional poker career. He is now widely acknowledged as one of the most successful players of the modern game with numerous wins and cash finishes in the largest and most prestigious tournaments around the world.  5 World Series of Poker bracelets and 3 World Series of Poker events are just a few of the trophies that Chis Ferguson has claimed during his poker career and as the world of poker continues to grow so will this man’s achievements.
 

Highly educated this quiet man uses a strong knowledge of poker theory and mathematics to aid his decision making when playing the game. The trademark hat and sunglasses are just there to disguise this computer like brain and given the chance he is one of the best at calculating odds and probabilities before making them work for him.
 

With a doctorate in computer science Chris was recruited to be one of the developers for the Full Tilt Poker card room, now one of the most recognized brands in poker. Currently he has taken up the challenge of starting with just $1 and growing that to $10,000. Something everybody can try but very few will be able to do.

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Posted in: 888 Poker,Cards,Casino,Chris Ferguson,Full Tilt Poker,Online Poker,Texas Holdem

Featured Player: Phil Ivey, Tiger on the Tables.

At 35 Phil Ivey is regarded by many of his contemporaries as the best all-round poker player in the world today. Cool calm and collected Phil has gone on to claim 8 World Series of Poker bracelets, a Poker Tour title and numerous other wins and money finishes at some of the most exclusive poker tournaments to be held around the world. These many victories have contributed to his career earnings which stand at approximately $13,000,000.

Phil Ivey developed his poker skills while playing with friends and colleagues and from these quite normal beginnings finds himself playing in the casinos of the Las Vegas strip surrounded by fellow professionals and brave millionaires. No matter what variation on the game of poker Phil Ivey is an accomplished player and has more titles that most people could ever hope to accomplish in a lifetime, yet with certainty I am sure that he will continue to add to his tournament victories and his ever swelling career earnings.

Providing a welcome distraction way from the tables Phil has gone on to create the Budding Ivey Foundation raising substantial funds to help underprivileged children and those less fortunate through his non-profit organization. 

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Free Poker,Full Tilt Poker,Gambling,Online Poker,Phil Ivey,Texas Holdem

The History of Poker.

Where the game of poker came about and by whom it was invented is open to much debate. In truth no one knows. There are many games originating from England, France, Germany, USA and the middle east all showing some common elements to the game as we know it today, and it is probable that some of these elements may have gone into creating the modern day game of poker.

Some of the earliest reports of the modern day game of poker being played originate from the casinos of New Orleans and the riverboats of the Mississippi in the early 1800’s. Poker remained a game for the few, players huddled around a table, a stack of chips and the right to say fold, call or raise.

It wasn’t until the 1970s and the creation of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) that popularity started to increase as games were played around the world. TV caught hold of this interest and invented the card camera allowing the game to become a spectator sport. Suddenly spectators could watch the moves of the professionals and see the game unfold as early winners like Johnny Moss made the right moves to be called champion and claim the gold bracelet.

The 1980s brought about the invention of the Internet and with it the online poker revolution. A few companies like PartyPoker developed software and people no longer had to visit a casino to shout "all in!" From there poker has become established as one of the fastest growing online games, with revenues expected to exceed $9 billion. Now millions of people play online with the many poker sites that have been developed. Currently Pokerstars holds the right to call itself the worlds biggest online poker room, with hundreds of games taking place at any one time.

Millions of dollars have been won and lost online and poker grows in popularity everyday, with hints,tips and all the latest information BlueorbPoker hopes to help players make better calls and grow their chip stack. Join us and learn while you play!

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Gambling,History of Poker,Online Poker,Poker,Texas Holdem

Poker..... What's it all About?

So, you have watched Casino Royal were James Bond smoothly lays down his cards to win the high stakes game of poker, claim the money and then walks off with the beautiful woman! Yes at some point we have all dreamt of that too! With a surge of sponsorship and publicity poker has now become the fastest growing internet craze to sweep the web with thousands of people joining each week to see if they can find that flush or pair of aces to claim the pot.

Yes it is true that it does involve a little luck and good fortune to win at poker, but it is not that simple. Knowledge, skill and tactics mean a player need not always have the best hand to win at poker. With perception and guile a player can attempt to read a competitor, find their tells and know when to call and fold on their way to winning a game.

Like the game of chess, poker is easy to learn and play but very few people are good enough to become a grand master, but how do you know until you try?

It has never been so easy to start and play poker with hundred of offers from all the different poker rooms on the net. So learn quickly and choose your games carefully, set yourself a budget, remember you should only bet what you can afford to lose, or tell your wife about! Start small and who knows where you may end up, remember anyone can enter the World Series of Poker and it doesn’t cost the Earth. The more you read, learn and understand the sooner you will be making the right calls and hopefully you can start claiming a few pots along the way.

Read the reviews on my site to see which card room might be best for you, and feel free to leave a comment how you are getting along! Good luck!!!

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Posted in: Betting,Cards,Casino,Gambling,James Bond,Online Poker,Poker,Poker rooms,Pokerstars,Texas Holdem